GARY BARTZ & NTU

ETERNAL TENURE OF SOUND: DAMAGE CONTROL

OYO Records

At age 83, Gary Bartz offers us his first studio album in twelve years. Opening with the very popular hit by Earth Wind and Fire, “Fantasy,” I am immediately engaged.

Bartz knows just how to take a pop or R&B record and magically make it a jazz treasure.  This is quite evident on the first tune and the one that follows, “One Hundred Ways.” That was a tune that vocalist James Ingram turned to gold. The Gary Bartz arrangement sparkles!  It’s hard to top a Quincy Jones production, but I believe Bartz has done it with his wonderful reimagining of this song.

Gary Bartz, an iconic saxophonist, continues to thrill me by transforming soulful classics into jazz productions. He’s chosen songs by such innovators as Curtis Mayfield (“the Makings of You”), Norman Conners (“You Are My Starship”), Anita Baker, (“You Bring Me Joy”), Patti LaBelle (“If Only You Knew”) and DeBarge.  This album is produced by long-time collaborator, drummer and godson, Om’mas Keith. It features Bartz’s core trio: Barney McAll on piano, Kassa Overall on drums, and bassist, Tarron Crayton.  His all-star cast of musicians also includes the amazing Kamasi Washington on tenor sax, Terrace Martin on alto sax, Brandee Younger on harp, Theo Croker on trumpet and Nile Rodgers lending his guitar talents to the project.

In 2023, Gary Bartz made a big career decision. On sabbatical from his teaching post at Oberlin Conservatory, he cashed out his 401K and set out to make a record. Bartz thought, this time there’s no need to shop for a major record company label. He invested in himself.

It’s been a wonderful musical journey for Gary Bartz. Back in the day, his dad owned a jazz club in then segregated Baltimore, MD called the North End Lounge.  In 1965, Art Blakey was performing at that club. Gary’s father called his son, who was living in New York, telling him John Gilmore, Blakey’s saxophonist was getting ready to leave the band.  Come home right now and sit in, his father told him.

“I joined the band right there in my father’s club,” Gary recalled.  And the blessings have continued to come ever since.

The album title, “Damage Control” sounds gloomy, but the songs included are uplifting and promise redemption, peace and love. Gary Bartz’s work has reflected an abiding social consciousness since the 1960s, when he considered giving up music to join the Black Panther Party.  Instead, he followed the path of Max Roach and Charles Mingus, who used their musical art to advocate against injustice and racism. Gary Bartz continues to heal and inspire us with this new music.

GARY BARTZ BAND: Gary Bartz, alto saxophone/vocals; Barney McAll, Fender Rhodes/ piano/celeste/synthesizer/hand claps/percussion; Kassa Overall, drums/percussion; Om’Mas Keith, drums/hand claps/congas/percussion; Tarron Crayton & Dominique Sanders, bass; Sam Anning, acoustic bass/elec. guitar; Brandee Younger, harp; Ellas McAll, nylon string guitar; Nile Rodgers, Juewett Bostick & Spaceman Patterson, guitar; Cory Henry, organ; Theo Croker, trumpet; Miles Kahil & Kamasi Washington, tenor saxophone; Terrace Martin, alto saxophone; LEAD VOCALS: Shelly FKA DRAM, Rita Satch & Daniel Merriweather. BACKGROUND VOCALS: Rita Satch, Barney McAll, Daniel Merriweather.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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